Pedersen wins opening Giro d’Italia stage in Albania and claims pink jersey

TIRANA, Albania (AP) - Former world champion Mads Pedersen narrowly beat Wout van Aert in a sprint finish to win the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia on Friday and claim the first pink jersey of this year's race, which started in Albania for the first time.

Pedersen, who won the world title in 2019 and rides for Lidl-Trek, edged Van Aert by half a wheel in the hilly 160-kilometer (99-mile) stage from Durrës to Tirana, which had a flat finish.

It was Pedersen's second career stage win in the Giro, having also won in Naples two years ago.

Venezuelan rider Orluis Aular crossed third.

The race remains in Albania for two more days. Stage 2 on Saturday is a 13.7-kilometer individual time trial in Tirana that will test overall contenders like Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso.

The three-week Grand Tour returns to Italy for Stage 4 in Puglia - directly across the Adriatic Sea from Albania. The finish is in Rome on June 1.